What looked like a win for NC State men’s basketball spiraled suddenly and disastrously into the Wolfpack’s most gut wrenching loss of the season.

“We just didn’t execute,” said head coach Will Wade. “When you don’t execute, you deserve the results that you get.”

NC State learned through a 77-76 loss to Miami that mistakes will always come back to haunt a team. Despite a roaring home crowd and a seven-point lead in the final minute, the Pack managed to leave the court with a loss.

“This doesn’t sit well with me,” Wade said. “I could see some of this coming … some of the guys who made some major mistakes for us down the stretch, I called out in practice the last two days. I could see the slippage.”

The Hurricanes (20-5, 9-3 ACC) went on an 8-0 run over the final 52 seconds of the game. Once Miami smelled blood, the Wolfpack (18-8, 9-4 ACC) crumbled instantly. Missing free throws, failing to complete the inbounds pass and a complete no show on the glass opened the door for the Canes to steal the win.

“I’m disappointed in our effort today,” Wade said. “To come back off of what happened on Monday and to play like that. Just could see it coming, disappointing.”

For Wade, the loss wasn’t surprising. Working with his team daily, Wade already knew where his team struggled. The closing minute of the game presented an opportunity for NC State to show they’ve improved in those areas — instead they confirmed everything Wade expected to see.

“Stuff always comes back to bite you, everytime,” Wade said. “And we don’t have the discipline to understand that right now.”

There isn’t one single thing to pin the loss on; rather it was a combination of several factors. Rebounding persists as a constant struggle for the Wolfpack and versus Miami, it bit NC State. Surrendering 20 offensive rebounds, the red-and-white practically begged the Canes to take the game.

“That’s just who we are, we’re soft,” Wade said. “We’re a jump shooting team … Miami, they have an identity. They’re gonna bludgeon you in the paint, they’re gonna be physical, they have an identity. We have no identity.”

Even after giving Miami several extra chances, which converted into 22 second-chance points, NC State could have won the game if it could cleanly inbound the basketball. Instead, the Pack turned it over twice in the final 47 seconds of the game. Misfiring on the inbounds both times, NC State appeared panicked by Miami’s press — something that cannot happen in close games.

“Whoever makes the least amount of mistakes wins the game,” said sophomore guard Paul McNeil Jr.

Basketball isn’t complicated and tonight showed that. It was late game mistakes that cost NC State, nothing more than that. When a team gives up nearly as many offensive rebounds as it gets defensive rebounds, when it fails to execute an inbounds pass multiple times and when it can’t hit clutch free throws there are no excuses. These mistakes aren’t new, today was simply when it bit NC State hardest.

“It’s like reading a coloring book, so easy to read.” Wade said. “We just got some guys like that, who are easy to read. It’s disappointing but kinda who we are.”

The question for NC State is how will this team respond. It’s been a roller coaster of a season for the Pack. Every time it appears as if NC State turned a corner, the same issues reemerge. Until the Wolfpack learns from those mistakes, it will be the same story — up and down performances.

“Maybe they’ll realize that some of what we say, all that stuff makes a difference,” Wade said. “We have a very poor attention to detail.”

The Wolfpack will need to figure things out quickly with rival No. 11 North Carolina on deck. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on Tuesday in Lenovo Center and will be televised on ESPN.